Over 30,000 report domestic abuse crimes to South Yorkshire Police

More than 26,000 women and over 5,000 men have been victims of domestic violence in South Yorkshire in the past five years, new figures have revealed.

Of the 26,000 recorded domestic violence crimes against women, 17,000 resulted in arrests, with just over 8,000 people being eventually charged.

In terms of the 5,300 male victims, 2,300 arrests were made, with slightly more than 800 people eventually charged with offences.

Since 2012, in 622 cases in which women were the victims, cases were dropped due to them not supporting further police action against their partners.

This also happened in 120 cases involving men as the victims.

Details were revealed in a Freedom of Information response by South Yorkshire Police.

Ahead of Euro 2016 earlier this summer, police said they tended to see a spike in domestic violence-related incidents around the time of major sporting events.

Superintendent Natalie Shaw, the force’s lead officer for domestic abuse, said: “Drinking alcohol is often a factor in many cases, and it’s a sad fact that this leads to an increase in the number of people who endure some form of violence, threatening behaviour or verbal abuse from their partner.

“There is no excuse for domestic abuse of any kind, and I don’t want people to suffer in silence if they are experiencing any form of domestic abuse.”

Supt Shaw added: “It can take an incredible amount of courage and bravery to come forward and report any kind of abuse, but please know that we are here to listen to you and do everything we can to help you.”

In June, a £750,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund was secured in Sheffield to launch a new support network for victims.

The money will be used over four years to address the shortage of longer-term therapeutic services run by four women’s organisations locally.